Cameron: Will Continue Support to Afghanistan

By

Prasanta Sahu And

Romit Guha

Feb. 19, 2013 10:59 a.m. ET

NEW DELHI--The U.K. will continue its support to Afghanistan through economic aid and by training the local armed forces even after British troops leave the strife-hit nation in 2014, Prime Minister David Cameron said Tuesday.

"All this is part of a broader international [effort] to continue to support Afghanistan's security to make sure it will never again become a haven of terror," Mr. Cameron told reporters in New Delhi after meeting his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh.

There were more than 102,000 international troops including 9,500 from the U.K. in Afghanistan at the end of December.

With U.S.-led international forces preparing to withdraw, Western governments are seeking a political compromise with the Taliban to prevent the country from sliding back into civil war.

Britain earlier this month hosted talks between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari as part of international efforts to end the strife in Afghanistan. At that meeting, Afghan and Pakistani leaders agreed to seek a six-month timeline to reach a peace settlement with the Taliban, the first concrete target set for the long-sputtering reconciliation process.

The talks followed December meetings in France between the Taliban and top Afghan politicians. Those were the first talks conducted by sanctioned representatives of both sides.

The talks have worried India which is wary that any deal with Taliban with India not being a party could threaten its own security.

"We shared our perspectives on the security and political transition in Afghanistan," the Indian prime minister told reporters at a joint press briefing with Mr. Cameron.

Mr. Singh said India will help Afghanistan through the transition and beyond, by supporting its economic growth, helping develop its capacity for governance, development and security.

India Tuesday separately hosted the second trilateral meeting also involving the U.S. and Afghanistan to discuss the situation in the violence-hit country.

Mr. Cameron, in India on a three-day visit, is leading a delegation of more than 100 businessmen, education specialists and parliamentarians as he tries to expand business and trade relationships between the two countries. The visit ends Wednesday.

Mr. Cameron said the two countries are on track to double their bilateral trade to 23 billion pounds ($35.70 billion) by 2015.

Mr. Singh sought British investments in sectors such as infrastructure and energy, which are in need of heavy funds. Some economists estimate that deficient electricity networks, roads, ports, airports and other facilities shave two percentage points off the country's growth rate.

Officials of the two countries will explore British participation in India's manufacturing and special investment zones and in a proposed industrial corridor between Mumbai and Bangalore, Mr. Singh said.

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